Learning to be Present

As we find ourselves without our crutch of drugs and/or alcohol, we may have a tough time staying in our respective seats. We hear the platitude, “One day at a time.” and suddenly even the mere idea of twenty-four hours seems interminable. Sitting still can be almost painfully agonizing as we begin our journey toward living in the world sober.

How do we stay in our literal and figurative seats? When trying to exercise sitting still, there are times when no matter how much clock-watching we do, each minute feels like an eternity. An option to being overwhelmed by the idea of an entire day, we can shorten that idea of “one day at a time” to “five minutes at a time.”

It is an undeniably challenging task. The longer we can stay planted in the chair, in which we are sitting, the more likely we are to hear a message of depth and weight. If one’s willing to consider it parallel to another situation, the analogy could be a small, thin branch waving wildly in the breeze versus a sturdy Redwood with roots for days.

This Los Angeles drug rehabilitation center can provide one with the exercise of learning how to stay put. The counselors understand how difficult it can be and do their best to be compassionate about this difficult lesson. This could be, at least initially, one of our biggest hurdles to cross. If we continue to pursue this life of service and contribution, we may very well find ourselves being less antsy and then by default, perhaps without even realizing it, we find ourselves able to stay still. It will take work, without question, and know that it’s possible.